I like to think I understand politics, most of the time. Generally speaking I realize making an effort to get along, meeting your opponents halfway and being a magnanimous, all around swell guy can pay great dividends. The election is won, no reason to be vindictive or seek retribution. I get it.
But Trump's decision to give Hillary a pass confuses and confounds me. Number one the promise Trump made to us that no one is above the law and justice will be done REGARDLESS, still rings in our ears. Hillary flouted the law. She set up a private server to avoid government oversight so as to sell access and favors through the Clinton Foundation. That much is clear as a bell to anyone who cares to look. We know it and the Democrats know it. So what's the problem in pursuing an investigation?
"Well Hammer we have a tradition in American politics where the winner never goes after the loser. It's tradition. We don't want to look like a banana republic dictatorship. Even though the law was broken, just let it go. We'll all be better off."
Sorry, can't subscribe to that way of thinking. The law is the law and this isn't about the Democrat nominee or partisan politics or Donald Trump. This is about our national security and the RULE OF LAW, prosecutorial discretion does not apply. Mr. Trump upon taking office should have his Justice Department, with Congressional oversight, appoint SEVERAL special prosecutors. One to examine the Clinton Foundation and their role in Hillary's email server, one to ferret out the IRS abuses, one to examine "Fast and Furious" and one to look at the NSA and their spying on the American people. This is just my short list, I could think of others.
"But Hammer, the animosity this would cause! Do you really want to put the country through all that?" Uh, let me think...HELL YES! The Hammer doctrine has always been good policy makes for good politics. Can you imagine the revelations to come from these investigations? I would argue we have seen only the tip of the iceberg. We have a compliant, corrupt media that refuses to tell us anything detrimental or embarrassing to BHO and his cohorts. We have members of the current administration taking the 5th before Congress. There is a lot there, if we would only look. We could drip drip drip extremely damaging information almost daily for the next four years. At the end of the day these investigations would most likely culminate in prosecution and conviction at the highest levels of the Democrat elite. Either that or we'd have a two hour highlight reel of the Democrats exercising their right against self incrimination. We could break the back of progressivism for a generation. The public would see all the nefarious dealings of this corrupt, vile administration and at the very least, Schumer would be playing nothing but prevent defense for the foreseeable future. Why would we NOT do this?
But let's say we don't. Let's say Trump takes the easy way out. What message does that send? It tells me and his most loyal supporters Trump is full of shit, and everything he's said is now questionable. In other words CW will be proven right. It also sends the message to the leftists that you can do anything you like no matter how heinous or outrageous, and if you do happen to get caught the conservatives will be too scared to take you on. This decision gives them aid, comfort and POWER.
Jesus H. even the timing is wrong. If Trump wants to give Hillary a pass why would he announce it now? He's just letting BHO off the hook. Why not wait, see how this plays out. Obama could very well pardon Hillary in which case problem solved. The Republicans don't look weak, Hillary's guilt would be acknowledged by the current administration and there would be no backlash for our cowering Republicans to worry about. Waiting just gives Trump more options, and the fact he can't see that is more than a little disturbing.
Trump should do as Obama with not a care for the feelings, input, council or reputations of his opponents. Elections have consequences. Trump needs to build bridges WHEN IT'S IN OUR INTEREST not to appease the radical left and their corrupt media. We as conservatives need to go on offense and advance our agenda forcefully and vigorously. We won! We won BIG and we need to start acting like it. I see absolutely no need for compromise. Extend the hand of friendship to the #nevertrump-ers, but the progressives get nothing. This is good policy AND good politics.
"We won big" would be more credible had the popular vote aligned with the electoral votes, and if NY, CA, MA, and other states had been anything but an embarrassing blowout.
ReplyDeleteFurther, why are you assuming that the President-Elect has the power to command prosecution? Not in my country, thank you, given the current occupant of the Oval Office and who knows who else may be elected later.
Seems like Congress can hold hearings regardless, and career prosecutors looking to make a name for themselves can look for the juicy stuff around the Clinton Foundation without any White House direction whatsoever.
Trump's wave-off is good politics, and doesn't preclude good policy occurring without his own personal stamp all over it.
Trump won 306 to 232 in the Electoral College. I think that's "big" especially when the last time I saw CW (a couple of weeks before the election) he assured me Hillary would get 350 electoral votes. BTY CW and Big Media were in complete agreement. So 'big' is relative and subjective, your big may not be my big. As far as the popular vote goes, 18-20% of California's votes were cast by non-citizens, and that's just California. Take your popular vote and stick it, the Electoral College is all that matters.
ReplyDeleteI don't propose anyone command a prosecution. In Hillary's case only a Grand Jury could do that. All I want is to give them the opportunity if and only if a thorough investigation warrants prosecution. What I don't want is for her to get a pass based on political considerations....not in my country.
So you want a Congressional investigation (with hearings etc.) to "investigate" Hillary? In other words a political circus subject to demagoguery, lies, false info and political attacks from those being investigated (along with their surrogates). Yeah, that makes perfect sense if one is interested in theater rather than justice.
At some point, you are going to remember how much you begged to be allowed back on the blog and you'll stop taking every opportunity to piss me off. Or you won't, and you'll be back in the penalty box.
ReplyDeleteI beseeched you, not begged. I do rattle your cage on occasion, perhaps a little too often, but somebody has to. Plus it keeps you sharp and grounded. You have a first class mind but tend to dwell in the echo chamber of your own ideas and the like minded. Not just you, we'll all do that if we don't watch ourselves. I believe in contact drills, not flag football. More sweat in training, less blood in combat. Forums like this prepare us for winning. Hurt feelings or outrage are just the inevitable consequence of honest debate.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I wasn't clear. This wasn't an invitation to debate, it was a warning. You are invited to make your often salient points without cheap shots at me, my predictions, the size of my house or the location of its fireplaces. In fact, I insist on it. Happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeletePoint taken....but just so you know you are allowed to insult my house, my ethnicity, my accent, my education (or lack of), my state, my school and my anatomy up to and including my fat ass and/or gut. The only thing off limits is my family, my dogs and my drinking.
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad we cleared the air and set some boundaries. Happy Thanksgiving.